A while back, the under shepherd of our little congregation used this picture to emphasize a point he was making. I have been thinking about it ever since. Look at it carefully. It is a picture of a bridge and river. It is real and has not been photoshopped.

In 1998 Hurricane Mitch ravaged Central America. 5,600 people died in the storm and more than 12,300 were injured. Over 150 bridges in Honduras were destroyed but the Choluteca Bridge was engineered and constructed so well it survived intact. The Japanese company that built the Choluteca Bridge was so proud of their workmanship they put a photo of the bridge on their company brochure. The storm was so severe it actually shifted the river, which now flows around the bridge instead of under it. It is a very sturdy bridge to nowhere, without any useful function. A ton of applications could be made, but I will go the way I am led.

For years, I have studied to determine my purpose and function as a woman of YHVH according to Scripture. It is not meant to be disrespectful, although to some it seems that way. I am not trying to be a feminist, although I am often labeled so. It is not my intent to argue or convince anyone. I just want to know the truth. Am I, as a woman of Yah, bound to interpretation of Scripture that cannot sustain itself? Is the call on my life any less important than that of a man? And yet . . . I have often been confined to certain spheres of influence. I don’t mind these at all, but to say that because I am a woman I cannot exercise my influence beyond a specific point is unscriptural, unsupported from Jewish history, and doesn’t fit with Yeshua’s ministry. Contradictions within the very passages used to support this doctrine abound and must be reconciled for YHVH is not the author of confusion. All ancient literature is read with an understanding of its original context, language, and type. The Scriptures must be read this way as well, if we are to get any kind of understanding of what it is trying to tell us. Lifting sentences or passages out of their defining context to support what it does not say is to violate the intent of the author - in this case - YHVH. Scripture must be read with an understanding of when it was written and what it was addressing for that time if we are to correctly apply it to our lives today. This is an ongoing issue for me. I will continue to elaborate as I am led and hopefully bring some light into a situation that causes frustration for not only women, but men as well. Will we be the unmoving bridge of doctrine and tenets of faith with limited function as proscribed by tradition OR will we be the River of Life that flows unimpeded according to the will of the Father as He established in His word?

All these terms or ideas are from the Psalms. They all pertain to intimate relationships and convey physical and emotional aspects of what we call love.We were created for fellowship, that is: companionship; intimacy; familiarity. There is something about the words of David and later, John, that reflect a level of intimacy with YHVH that we don’t see anywhere else in Scripture. A personal understanding of the very heart and emotions of the Living God. Were they the only ones to experience this? Is it only for a select few? Does YHVH want this for me? 1 Samuel 13:14 tells us that David was a man after YHVH’s own heart, in Hebrew - lev - the seat of awareness and understanding, tenderness. He desires us to enter into and identify with Him on this level.

What made David different? Examine the following insights into David's heart and desire.

Psalm 63 > O, God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. My soul clings to You. Psalm 16 > I have set YHVH continually before me, therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices. In Your presence is fullness of joy and in Your right hand are pleasures forever. Psalm 36> I drink my fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give me to drink of the river of Your delights. Psalm 27> One thing I have desired – to behold the beauty of YHVH. In the secret place of His tent, He will hide me Psalm 42. As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You O YHVH , My soul thirsts for YouDavid’s emotions are laid bare in these passages. He is not embarrassed because He is acquainted with YHVH’s emotions and His love and compassion. YHVH was able to share with David His very heart – to trust him with his heart. I want that in my life. David exercises opportunities to be serious, to vent, share his excitement, and has personal discussions and conversations with his God. This secret place of intimacy provides supernatural release of his own passions and desires as well as YHVH’s power in his life. It is a revelation of a God who takes pleasure in and delights in His people, even in weakness and immaturity. David was a student of YHVH’s emotions. He sought to know what was burning in YVHV’s heart. He wanted to know his God.

Ez. 11:39 tells us we all receive new, soft heart when we say “yes” to Yeshua.

A hard soul/heart is full of anger, rejection, bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, results of events/circumstances/perceptions. It creates a barrier preventing the new soft heart from being displayed or revealed. The barrier must be torn down to actualize total intimacy and transparency – soul healing brings a level of maturity and agreement between soul and Spirit. It is sanctification which opens us up to connect with our Creator naked and unashamed One thing associated with David was his obedience – obedience without corresponding revelation of YHVH’s heart brings frustration and shame when we fall. David had personal knowledge of this – he failed on a number of occasions, but never lost his connection with his God. He never doubted YHVH’s passion and delight in him – regardless of his failures and weaknesses. Often we assume YHVH is angry with failure and weakness because we don’t or can’t see the truth about how He feels about us. Scripture tells us it is not failure and weakness but rebellion that stirs YHVH’s anger. It is his kindness that leads us to repentance. When there is a “yes” to Him in our spirits it makes Him glad. If we do not get this, then we will run from Him when we fail or stumble instead of to Him as David did. Why can’t I seem to keep the fire going? New believers have zeal and passion which flares up and eventually fizzles out. Most of us enter into another phase of our relationship with YHVH which includes sanctification, healing, learning obedience and this is a fire of a different kind and lasts longer than the first, but still ultimately loses its intensity. Fascination with Yeshua/the Word/Spirit is the only fire that can replenish and sustain us for the long haul. We were created to be fascinated with Him – to drink from His rivers of pleasure. Only when we know what YHVH’s heart looks like can we know what we look like to Him. Only then are we able to stop being self-consious, and focus wholly and completely on Him. Yhvh is anxiously waiting and beckoning to all who would enter this place of reckless abandonment and fearless devotion to Him. David is a picture of what Yeshua wants in His bride. Lovesick, giddy, passionate and totally enthralled. This is true worship.

Author

Napoleon Dynamite makes me laugh. The mountains are home. I really hope there will be chocolate in eternity. I don’t have a lot of friends, but the ones I do have are spectacular! More than anything, I want to please my Creator.